3/22/11

Do you like my cake pop french man in the middle with his white chocolate beret? I kind of dig him. He has great eyebrows don't you think? No one has eaten him--I don't want to lose him, I like him, kind of like Tom Hanks loved his volleyball turned best friend in the movie "Cast Away". I tried making a surfer dude with gnarly hair using the coconut (behind french man), but it didn't work so well.

Cake pops are literally sweeping the nation. I've even seen them in Starbucks! Is there a "cake pops for dummies" book out yet? Was it really Bakerella that invented them? I've been meaning to make them for a long time, but got lazy because they are labor intensive! Hard lil critters to make. To be clear, cake pops are labor intensive, the cake balls not so much. With the balls there is no stick to fiddle with or drying upright to keep a smooth complexion.

I didn't want to make just any cake pop, I wanted flavor-- funky flavor that would stand out and pair well with the chocolate dipping melts. Dipping melts don't taste like pure chocolate, and if you have a chocolate palate like I do then dipping melts are a very different flavor. Although I do see why they are used for these cake pops, they dry fast and have a harder, tougher coating than regular chocolate.When my friend Anna over at cookie madness made (long long time ago) a midori cake, I kept that in the back of my mind to use for a cake of my own.

If you do make these midori cake pops I HIGHLY recommend dipping them in coconut. I should have toasted the coconut first--it would have tasted amazing.

Food Hindsight is always 20/20!

**cooking notes: if you are making cake pops (not balls) please make sure to invest in a large Styrofoam board for placing the cake pops on for drying. I did not. And should have. Read the recipe instructions below carefully as you will be swapping out water and replacing it with midori liquor.I thought the color of the cake pops would be green they are not. If you want them green to represent the midori flavoring then add in a couple drops of green dye to the cake batter before cooking. I used Wiltons candy melts, pens, sticks, bags, etc....The midori flavor is very gentle, not strong at all. I kind of like it that way, so it worked out perfectly. If you did want a stronger midori flavor maybe you could add some to the melted candy melts? But don't know how they would dry/set up. I dipped all my cake pops in a layer of pink candy melts, from there i either added on a 2nd layer of different color candy melts or went the coconut/sprinkle route. Do what whatever creativity you feel. Most of all have fun. If you want a better tutorial than mine (I know mine isn't the best) head over to Bakerella, she is the queen of cake pops after all.

Cook cake as per directions in a 13 x 9 pan. Cool, then crumble with your hands, mix in the frosting and mix well. I did NOT use the whole can of frosting; there was maybe 2 TB left. But use your own judgment.Get you baking sheet with wax paper ready. Take the mixture and roll into small golfballs. You should get about 40-50?Melt just a little bit of chocolate in a cup or bowl as we are going to dip the sticks in the chocolate to hold the pops in place. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.). Place back on wax covered sheet and into the freezer for a little while to firm up

Ready to dip:melt chocolate color of your choice in ceramic coffee cups (or bowls) in the microwave per directions on package. I did one minute intervals with a quick stir. (it was easier to use ceramic coffee cups as they are easier for dipping). Get your Styrofoam blocks ready.Gently dip the cake pops in the chocolate with a rolling method, lift up and continue rolling to get off excess and get a smooth coating. Now if you want to want to add sprinkles and/or coconut to a certain number of pops do it now, then back into fridge for cooling.Once firm, you can either add another layer of chocolate dip for color/decoration. If you do then back into the freezer to firm up again.Once dry, draw faces with an edible ink pen.

I feel like a bad med student right now since I had to go look up what midori is (you know...since med students are alcoholics and all...true story). But now that I have, I know I need these in my life. French man and all.

Too cute! I still haven't made cake balls. I tried one time, but was so grossed out with the process of mushing the cake (red velvet, btw) and icing together I just threw it all out. I like the finished product, though.

I have never made cake pops so I can only imagine how labor intensive they are. I do like your idea of making them out of slightly alcoholic cakes. If I fail at the cake pops it certainly won't be a hardship eating the mistakes.

I saw the cake pops being advertised at Starbucks too. Bakerella should copyright that idea! I wonder if she did. And if you haven't been over to her blog recently, she's going through a tough time. :(

Bakerella's cake pop cookbook is basically for dummies. All the recipes use store-bought mixes, icing, etc. So easy, all you need is a little creative capacity and patience. After a couple practice pops, anyone can be a cake pop master!

I didn't listen and tried to cover them in white chocolate - this did not work out so well, plus I think I used too much frosting (is there such a thing?). I saved the dough and tried again with the candy melts and it worked perfectly. Should have listened the first time...

about vanilla sugar blog

Unique eats, creative recipes, as simple as possible.What drives me to create? Seeing dishes in restaurants, meals created on TV, recipes in cookbooks/online, and I always think to myself why didn’t they add this or why did they leave out that? Love to question, love to research, and love to learn about combining different flavors and textures in recipes.Recipe creations please email: vanillasugarblog@aol.com